READING the glowing accounts about Rhodesia racist soldiers’ behaviour during the Second Chimurenga crafted by the foreign-owned press in this country, one is given the wrong impression that those racist soldiers fought the liberation war cleanly.
Yes, that they observed all international laws on war until the war came to an end.
Fortunately for us, however, some members of the former Rhodesian soldiers themselves have come out in the open and confessed that they were not clean fighters at all, but very bad guys who had no time for international law and ethical conduct.
And into the picture comes the ceasefire agreement that was signed in London between the Zimbabwe liberation forces on the one hand and the Rhodesian racist forces on the other.
The ceasefire agreement was made at the beginning of December 1979.
Below we highlight some of the confessions made by the Rhodesian soldiers concerning the evil murders they committed on innocent liberation war fighters as they made their way to Assembly Points or were already in Assembly Points when the ceasefire agreement was already in place in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) fighters who were operating in the Chiduku area of Manicaland all accepted the ceasefire agreement once it had been signed.
As a result of this, one day their commanders called together all the liberation fighters in that area to assemble on a well known mountain in that area called Ruombwe.
The whole idea in bringing the liberation war fighters on mount Ruombwe was that once they had all come together there, they would afterwards leave as a group to the assembly point nearest to them.
Once the freedom fighters had assembled on Mount Ruombwe, the Rhodesian racist soldiers in the area got to know about it.
Happy that then the liberation war fighters were off their guard because of the peaceful atmosphere created by the ceasefire agreement, the Rhodesians decided to commit murder on the unsuspecting freedom fighters.
And so the Rhodesians went for the kill.
Here is a confession of the murder by one of the Rhodies.
“Chiduku Tribal Trust Land (Communal Lands) lies 150 kilometres of Salisbury (Harare).
“There is a large mountain called Ruombwe which was always used as a base by insurgents (freedom fighters).
“It was an ideal rendezvous for guerrillas operating in that area.”
No wonder when the ceasefire agreement came about the freedom fighters in that part of the country ‘assembled their forces on Mount Ruombwe before moving on to St. Annes to the east and then to one of the Commonwealth forces assembly points’. When the Rhodesian racist forces learnt that freedom fighters were assembled at Mount Ruombwe, they decided to attack them despite the existence of the ceasefire.
And in the process committed murder.
“A company of the 8th Battalion Rhodesian Regiment was deployed into the zone to cordon off the area.
“Early in the morning (after the freedom fighters had assembled) a fire force was dropped onto the mountain and swept it.
“A lot of insurgents (freedom fighters) were killed while a large number escaped.
“While going back to Mangula (Mhangura) Sergeant Mike Clayton (a Rhodesian racist soldier with a helicopter) was looking out of his helicopter and … saw the enemy (freedom fighters) sitting in a kraal. Sergeant Clayton indicated to the pilot who immediately went into orbit.
“The enemy (freedom fighters) bomb shelled (scattered).
“Sergeant Clayton was dropped near the kraal.
“On being dropped Sergeant Clayton (and some soldiers) swept through the kraal from west to east and killed some insurgents (freedom fighters).”
Then more helicopters came which had machine guns in them and they began chasing and killing the freedom fighters who were completely off guard because of the ceasefire.
About 20 mm canons were used against almost defenceless freedom fighters some of whom had handed over their guns to their superiors.
The murderers then boasted after making the kills as follows:
“We killed eleven ‘gooks’ (freedom fighters) that day at various locations (plus of course civilians).
“They did not need to die.
“They could have been in Assembly Points and the innocent would have been safe.”
Shameful murderers!
What is interesting to note is that at the highest levels of the Rhodesian Army their generals sat down and decided to violate the ceasefire.
Just listen to this.
“In due course a series of army personnel meetings took place which marked the army’s reaction to recent events (the ceasefire).
“The first took place in the cricket pavilion at New Sarum (Manyame Airbase). “All unit commanders gathered. In these meetings an underlying message began to emerge.
“They (freedom fighters) would not get away with it. We would not accept Mugabe.
“The war was not in fact over.
“A final Secret Orders Group was called at the Rhodesian Light Infantry Brigade headquarters (2 Brigade).
“Brigadier John McVey issued verbal orders to us for Operation Quartz, the secret offensive to destroy elements of ZIPRA and ZANLA in their various assembly points.”
Another ceasefire violation occurred in the Mhangura area.
Once the freedom fighters in that area had been informed about the ceasefire agreement by their superiors, they accepted it fully.
They then proceeded to assemble at one kraal in the area to prepare to go to their nearest Assembly Point.
While they were still assembled in that kraal, they were seen by some Rhodesian forces (who had no reason to be in the area in the first place) who went on to attack them.
And so immediately after the meeting, “one unit (battalion) was tasked with assaulting two major Assembly Points, one in the Zambezi Valley and another north of Mutoko.”
The man in charge of this unit (battalion) tells us what he did.
“I ordered the immediate reconnaissance of both targets.
“I drew up formal orders noting with satisfaction the fire support to be given by the Rhodesian artillery and South African Airforce Buccaneers.
“The battalion deployed to undertake training in a secluded area north of Salisbury (Harare).
“In reality we were ready together with the SAS and Selous Scouts to destroy ZANLA and ZIPRA.”
(Really!).
“Late one evening in March I received orders for the battalion (his unit) to proceed immediately to Kotwa,” he said.
“After a rushed series of Orders Group the unit moved over night and based itself up near an airstrip near Kotwa.
“John McVey (the man’s top commander) arrived and issued orders for an attack on the large Assembly Point near the border not too far from Nyamapanda.
“Aerial and ground recce of AP followed. Orders were issued.
“A series of Dakota Para-Daks arrived to assist with airborne deployment.
“A Rhodesian artillery sub-unit was in place in close support.
“The assault plan was completed and orders issued.
“We waited H-Hour (when they were going to strike the assembly point) instructions from Brigade HQ.”
Thankfully ZANLA and ZIPRA intelligence got to know about this evil plan and it was foiled before the attack took place.
It is therefore very unwise today to ever trust former Rhodies.
How on earth can anyone trust people like these whose credo was chicanery, cheating and murder.